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Bill114th CongressFiled Jul 28, 2015Armed Forces and National Security
H.R. 3234

VA Medical Center Recovery Act

Bill journey · stage 2 of 5

Under committee review

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What it doesSummary passed house amended (Feb 9, 2016)

VA Medical Center Recovery Act

(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to publish in the Federal Register and on a publicly available VA Internet website a compilation of key health metrics for each VA medical center.

The VA shall: (1) determine on a semiannual basis whether each medical center is satisfactory or underperforming; and (2) upon a determination of underperformance, send a rapid deployment team to the center to ensure that it achieves satisfactory performance as quickly as practicable.

A rapid deployment team shall:

  • identify the areas of the medical center that require improvement and whether the center follows directives and best practices;
  • establish a performance remediation plan;
  • review the status of any disciplinary actions taken at the center, any recommendations made by the VA Inspector General, and any Government Accountability Office findings; and
  • provide appropriate training to the director and staff.

The Inspector General of the VA shall prioritize investigations regarding underperforming medical centers.

The Office of Accountability Review shall prioritize investigations of whistleblower retaliation regarding underperforming medical centers.

(Sec. 3) The VA shall seek to enter into partnerships with recognized schools of nursing to provide undergraduate nursing students enrolled in such schools with standardized training with respect to:

  • the culture of the military and veterans;
  • post-traumatic stress disorder;
  • traumatic brain injury;
  • amputation and assistive devices;
  • environmental, chemical, and toxic exposure;
  • substance use disorders;
  • military sexual trauma;
  • suicide;
  • homelessness;
  • serious illness at the end of life; and
  • federal benefits, services, and resources for veterans.

What just happenedFeb 10, 2016

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Who’s behind it

Rep. Roby, Martha [R-AL-2](R-AL)Sponsor
Read on Congress.gov
2committees14actions13subjects
  1. Feb 10, 2016IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

    Veterans' Affairs Committee
  2. Feb 9, 2016FloorH38800

    The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

  3. Feb 9, 2016FloorH38310

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  4. Feb 9, 2016FloorH37300

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H628-629)

  5. Feb 9, 2016Floor8000

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H628-629)

  6. Feb 9, 2016FloorH8D000

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3234.

  7. Feb 9, 2016FloorH30000

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H628-630)

  8. Feb 9, 2016FloorH30300

    Mr. Abraham moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  9. Nov 17, 2015Committee

    Subcommittee Hearings Held.

    Health Subcommittee
  10. Aug 6, 2015Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

    Health Subcommittee
  11. Jul 28, 2015IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

    Veterans' Affairs Committee
  12. Jul 28, 2015IntroReferralB00100

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5531-5532)

  13. Jul 28, 2015IntroReferralIntro-H

    Introduced in House

  14. Jul 28, 2015IntroReferral1000

    Introduced in House

Passed House amendedFeb 9, 201636

VA Medical Center Recovery Act

(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to publish in the Federal Register and on a publicly available VA Internet website a compilation of key health metrics for each VA medical center.

The VA shall: (1) determine on a semiannual basis whether each medical center is satisfactory or underperforming; and (2) upon a determination of underperformance, send a rapid deployment team to the center to ensure that it achieves satisfactory performance as quickly as practicable.

A rapid deployment team shall:

  • identify the areas of the medical center that require improvement and whether the center follows directives and best practices;
  • establish a performance remediation plan;
  • review the status of any disciplinary actions taken at the center, any recommendations made by the VA Inspector General, and any Government Accountability Office findings; and
  • provide appropriate training to the director and staff.

The Inspector General of the VA shall prioritize investigations regarding underperforming medical centers.

The Office of Accountability Review shall prioritize investigations of whistleblower retaliation regarding underperforming medical centers.

(Sec. 3) The VA shall seek to enter into partnerships with recognized schools of nursing to provide undergraduate nursing students enrolled in such schools with standardized training with respect to:

  • the culture of the military and veterans;
  • post-traumatic stress disorder;
  • traumatic brain injury;
  • amputation and assistive devices;
  • environmental, chemical, and toxic exposure;
  • substance use disorders;
  • military sexual trauma;
  • suicide;
  • homelessness;
  • serious illness at the end of life; and
  • federal benefits, services, and resources for veterans.
Introduced in HouseJul 28, 2015

Failing VA Medical Center Recovery Act

This bill establishes in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): (1) an Office of Failing Medical Center Recovery, and (2) the position of Under Secretary for Failing Medical Center Recovery to head the Office.

The Office shall carry out the managerial and day-to-day operational control of each VA failing medical center.

The VA shall:

  • publish in the Federal Register and on a publicly available VA website a compilation of key health metrics for each VA medical center;
  • certify semiannually that each VA medical center ranked as "failing" is subject to managerial and day-to-day operational control by the Office;
  • revoke the certification of a VA medical center as a failing medical center if it achieves a ranking of "satisfactory" or better for three consecutive fiscal quarters;
  • submit to Congress a quarterly report on the Office, including actions taken by the Under Secretary regarding covered failing medical centers; and
  • transfer each covered failing medical center from the direct control of the relevant Veterans Integrated Service Network to the direct control of the Under Secretary.

The Inspector General of the VA shall prioritize investigations relating to covered failing medical centers, and the Office of Accountability Review shall prioritize investigations of whistle blower retaliation relating to such centers.

Office employees shall be included in the VA education tuition reimbursement program.

VA Medical Center Recovery Act — Informed